Glamour by the River

Chandeliers add sparkle to this St. Bernard Parish home.

Bonnie Warren

Twin couches were selected for seating to designate an intimate conversation area in the large open floor plan. The picture window with a view of the back porch provides interest and light for the room.

Photographed by Craig Macaluso

Glamour is the watchword at the home of Channon and Tony Melerine in Meraux, 10 miles south of New Orleans and one block from the Mississippi River. Open the front door of the pristine, new Mediterranean-style home, and you will immediately notice crystal chandeliers everywhere: over the pool table, in the middle of the living room, over the dining room table. There are two in the kitchen and at least one in each bathroom.

“I wanted the house to be very glamorous,” says Channon, director of human resources for the W New Orleans Hotel. “I had a ‘sparkly’ vision of the way I wanted everything to look, so I designed everything in the house and selected all of the furnishing and accessories. I even searched for the perfect doorknobs and for the 16 unique crystal chandeliers in our home. We have a chandelier in every room, including the laundry room.”

Every inch of the Melerines’ home has a touch of glitz. With black walls as a stylish backdrop, the master bedroom features a custom tufted bed dressed with luxurious white linens and pillows, a mirrored end table and dresser and the finishing touches: an elegant chandelier and a large floor mirror next to the bed. “It’s a very soothing room to me,” Channon says.

Londyn, the couple’s 7-year-old daughter, has her own swanky suite. Her bedroom features Swarovski crystals on the wall, which go all the way up to the ceiling, behind the pink velvet tufted headboard.

“I did her room in charcoal and silver to make the hot pink of the bed pop, and I love the way the crystal chandelier’s reflection makes you feel like you are looking at stars when you are in bed,” Channon says. “The bubble chair/swing was a must-have when Londyn saw it in a magazine. I think it adds interest to her room.” The adjoining built-in closet is a little girl’s dream in pink, with plenty of drawers, shelves to display her extensive collection of shoes and two tiers of hanging racks for her colorful dresses.

Next to the bedroom is Londyn’s playroom. “It’s a vision of happiness, and I always feel like a little girl all over again when I walk into the room,” her mother says. “Even my daughter’s bathroom took a lot of research to find just the right sparkle that I wanted for the floors and tub surround. I found the perfect tile made by Susan Jablon Mosaics in upstate New York, and the painting in the bathroom is exactly like the one entertainer Miley Cyrus has in her closet. I saw Miley’s closet in a magazine, loved the painting and ordered an exact copy. Then Susan took the pink and fuchsia from the painting and created the perfect sparkle custom tiles for the tub surround and flooring.”

Tony, chief operator for Valero Oil in Meraux, wanted to have a pool table in the great room. Channon agreed – as long as he didn’t mind having a crystal chandelier above it. “The pool table area is my favorite part of the house because my dad always had a pool table in our house (and he still does),” says Tony. “The pool table brings back great childhood memories and a feeling of still having that inner kid in me.”

Channon credits Amy Rikhoff, color consultant and faux painter, for working with her on the paint color schemes. “Working with Amy was fantastic. She could see my sparkly vision and helped bring it to life on the walls and ceilings.” The couple also credits Bradley Cantrell (BJC Construction in Violet) for making the building of the house a pleasant experience. “We loved working with Mr. Cantrell because he is extremely easygoing,” Tony says. Channon adds, “Being that we are very detail-oriented, we know that it is not always easy to work with us, yet he patiently worked his magic to make our dream become a reality.”

In the end Channon got her glamorous home with 16 crystal chandeliers, Londyn got her beautiful suite, and Tony got his pool table. It almost sounds like a happy ending to a fairytale with the possible title “How Glamour Came to Meraux.”